1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a sound constituting apparatus in which the information of phoneme elements constituting a sound is previously stored in storage means, the information of the phoneme elements is interacted with the information extracted from detection trigger signals of the external environment or changes thereof to produce a modified sound resulting from such interaction on the real-time basis without constraint as to the play time.
2. Description of the Related Art
Among customary sound reproducing apparatus, there are a record player, employing a record, an optical disc player, employing an optical disc, and a cassette tape recorder, employing a magnetic tape, depending on the type of the recording media employed. These sound reproducing apparatus are designed to reproduce information signals, that is sound data, as software data pre-recorded on the recording medium, for the user to listen to music or to confirm the contents of conversation recorded on the recording medium.
In general, the sound constituting apparatus is designed using both the hardware, as a circuit arrangement, and software, as the information signals recorded on the recording medium. Specifically, the sound constituting apparatus is frequently employed for music composition by exploiting e.g. a computer, audio equipment and a recording medium as the soft ware. Some sound reproducing apparatus have the function of translating the tone played by a user into a music note. Recently, a so-called computer music, which exploits the sound reproducing apparatus having such function, has become popular.
There are also occasions wherein the computer music is employed for causing a musical instrument to play automatically.
For such automatic play of the musical instrument, the sound reproducing apparatus supplies music instrument digital interface (MIDI) sequence data, pre-recorded in the apparatus for sound reproduction, to a sound source device for sound production. In effect, a system having the sound reproducing apparatus employed for playing the above-mentioned computer music is utilized for composing a music piece by supplying the above-mentioned MIDI sequential data to an audio equipment, such as a sampler, one of such sound source devices, for producing live performance by music instruments.
In general, when music is automatically played using the above-mentioned sound reproducing apparatus, the playing time is limited to a certain time interval, depending on the recorded contents, because of limitations imposed on the recording capacity of the recording medium employed for pre-recording the MIDI sequential data for sound reproduction. That is, the recordable time of the magnetic tape, for example, corresponds to the predetermined time, and the recorded data for such predetermined time is reproduced for such play with the result that data playback is made by the sound reproducing apparatus only during a fixed play time interval.
For prolongation of the playing time, the range of play and the number of times of repetition may be set for repeated program execution on the sound reproducing apparatus, using a program having a loop function.
On the other hand, the recent tendency in music is that not only the hardware aspect is changed, but also the music played thereby, that is the music software, is also changed. Such change in the music software is incurred to a greater extent by changes in human society. That is, the present-day human society is variegated in taste or liking, as exemplified by the nightless city or the increase in leisure time with corresponding changes in human life time. The present day preference is towards richness and quietness of mind rather than material richness. The liking for music is also changed towards actively expressing the listener's sense rather than passively listening to pre-recorded music.
In keeping up with changes in such social trends, more and more attention has now been directed to interaction of man with external environment, such as nature. Thus a demand has been raised towards an apparatus which has environmental sound in a wood or on a beach as a theme to release the hearer from daily routine by way of reflecting the individual taste or liking.
Meanwhile, with the conventional sound constituting apparatus, sound data pre-recorded on the recording medium are reproduced for constituting the sound field. Consequently, should data recorded on the recording medium be played only once without employing the continuous repeated playback mode as set by the program software, the play time is limited to a value fixed for each apparatus because of characteristics of the playing technique for reproducing data taken out from the recording medium as the sound or the capacity of the recording medium. Conversely, elongation of the play time means increasing sound data recorded on the recording medium employed for replaying the music. Consequently, the elongation of the play time leads to increase in the recording capacity in proportion to the replay time and to the necessity of providing plural recording media.
It is therefore impossible with the currently employed music replaying apparatus to effect replay over a prolonged time duration without repeated reproduction or without employing plural media. Besides, since the current sound reproducing apparatus makes use of pre-recorded sound data, it is not possible to change the playing state automatically and instantly responsive to the state of the listener or listening space.
On the other hand, the technical knowledge or skill for musical performance or composition as well as knowledge or skill concerning a complex computer technology is essential for activities in music performance or creation. Consequently, there are not many who are capable of being engaged in these activities in consideration of difficulties in acquiring such knowledge or skill. Those not capable of being engaged in these activities cannot but listen to the reproduced music only passively. On the other hand, with the conventional sound reproducing apparatus, it is not possible for a listener to participate actively in the play state or listening space as when he is listening to a live concert in a hall.